Rate Allocation Method and Apparatus for Optimization of Adaptive Wireless Video Streaming

1. A rate allocation method, comprising: adapting, by a processor, a control parameter value as user equipment (UE) enter a network sector based on a total load for tagged UE of the network sector and a determination to tag a prospective new UE, wherein the tagged UEs of the network sector correspond with all current and prospective network sector UEs that entered the network sector at an instance when the processor determined that the free capacity of the network sector is larger than or equal to a capacity threshold; assigning, by the processor, a provisional rate for the prospective new UE of the network sector based on the control parameter value and a determined marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE; determining, by the processor, free capacity of the network sector; admitting, by the processor, the prospective new UE if enough free capacity exists in order for the network sector to service the prospective new UE at the provisional rate, wherein this method is accomplished without the knowledge of channel and traffic statistics of the network sector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adapting comprises: assigning an initial arbitrary value to be the control parameter value, iteratively adjusting the initial arbitrary value each time a UE enters the network sector by, determining a load demand for all tagged UEs of the network sector, wherein the load demand is based on a load of all tagged UEs at their respective service rates, selecting a step size value for the control parameter, determining an increment value based on the determined load and the step size, adding the increment value to one of the initial arbitrary value and the current control parameter value to arrive at a current control parameter value.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the assigning of the provisional rate for the prospective new UE includes, determining the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE for each of a plurality of available provisional rates for the prospective new UE, selecting the largest of the available provisional rates that has a marginal pay-off that exceeds the control parameter to be the provisional rate for the prospective new UE.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, the assigning the provisional rate for the prospective new UE includes, determining the largest rate for which the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE exceeds the control parameter, wherein this determined largest rate is the provisional rate for the prospective new UE the determining of the free capacity of the network sector includes, summing a real-time load demand of all current UEs at the current UE's service rate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the admitting of the prospective new UE includes, comparing the determined free capacity of the network sector to the capacity threshold, wherein the capacity threshold is the largest amount of capacity that is required to support any particular network sector UE at a maximum allowed rate for the particular network sector UE, tagging the prospective new UE if the determined free capacity is equal to or greater than the capacity threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: incrementally increasing the current control parameter value by a positive increment value based on the step size and the total load of the tagged UEs, if the prospective new UE is not tagged; and incrementally decreasing the current control parameter value by a negative increment value based on the step size and the total load of the tagged UEs, if the prospective new UE is tagged.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the admitting of the prospective new UE includes, performing the following steps if the prospective new UE is tagged, incrementally increasing the total load for tagged UEs by a provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, the provisional capacity requirement being equal to the provisional rate of the prospective new UE multiplied by a capacity requirement coefficient, wherein the capacity requirement coefficient is a function of a signal strength experienced by the prospective new UE, admitting the prospective new UE as a newly tagged-and-admitted UE, incrementally decreasing the free capacity of the network sector by the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the admitting of the prospective new UE includes, performing the following steps if the prospective new UE is not tagged, comparing the free capacity of the network sector against the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, if the free capacity of the network sector equal or exceeds the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, admitting the prospective new UE to the network sector, and incrementally decreasing the free capacity of the network sector by the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, blocking the prospective new UE from the network sector, if the free capacity of the network sector is less than the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the assigning of the provisional rate for the prospective new UE includes, assigning the prospective new UE a zero-rate, if the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE does not exceed the control parameter value for a lowest rate that is available for the prospective new UE, blocking the prospective new UE from the network sector, if the prospective new UE is assigned a zero-rate.

10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: if a UE departs the network sector, performing the steps of, incrementally increasing the free capacity of the network sector by a provisional capacity requirement for the departing UE, the provisional capacity requirement being equal to the provisional rate of the departing UE multiplied by a capacity requirement coefficient, wherein the capacity requirement coefficient is a function of a signal strength experienced by the departing UE, if the departing UE is a tagged UE, incrementally decreasing the total load for tagged UEs by the provisional capacity requirement for the departing UE.

11. A device, comprising: a processor, configured to, adapt a control parameter value as user equipment (UE) enter a network sector based on a total load for tagged UE of the network sector and a determination to tag a prospective new UE, wherein the tagged UEs of the network sector correspond with all current and prospective network sector UEs that entered the network sector at an instance when the processor determined that the free capacity of the network sector is larger than or equal to a capacity threshold; assign a provisional rate for the prospective new UE of the network sector based on the control parameter value and a determined marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE; determine free capacity of the network sector; admit the prospective new UE if enough free capacity exists in order for the network sector to service the prospective new UE at the provisional rate, wherein the processor does not require knowledge of channel and traffic statistics of the network sector.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor adapts the control parameter value by being further configured to, assign an initial arbitrary value to be the control parameter value, iteratively adjust the initial arbitrary value each time a UE enters the network sector by, determine a load demand for all tagged UEs of the network sector, wherein the load demand is based on a load of all tagged UEs at their respective service rates, select a step size value for the control parameter, determine an increment value based on the determined load and the step size, add the increment value to one of the initial arbitrary value and the current control parameter value to arrive at a current control parameter value.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the processor assigns the provisional rate for the prospective new UE by being further configured to, determine the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE for each of a plurality of available provisional rates for the prospective new UE, select the largest of the available provisional rates that has a marginal pay-off that exceeds the control parameter to be the provisional rate for the prospective new UE.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein, the processor assigns the provisional rate for the prospective new UE by being further configured to, determine the largest rate for which the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE exceeds the control parameter, wherein this determined largest rate is the provisional rate for the prospective new UE the processor determines the free capacity of the network sector by being further configured to, sum a real-time load demand of all current UEs at the current UE's service rate.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the processor admits the prospective new UE by being further configured to, compare the determined free capacity of the network sector to the capacity threshold, wherein the capacity threshold is the largest amount of capacity that is required to support any particular network sector UE at a maximum allowed rate for the particular network sector UE, tag the prospective new UE if the determined free capacity is equal to or greater than the capacity threshold.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to, incrementally increase the current control parameter value by a positive increment value based on the step size and the total load of the tagged UEs, if the prospective new UE is not tagged; and incrementally decrease the current control parameter value by a negative increment value based on the step size and the total load of the tagged UEs, if the prospective new UE is tagged.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the processor admits of the prospective new UE by being further configured to, perform the following steps if the prospective new UE is tagged, incrementally increase the total load for tagged UEs by a provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, the provisional capacity requirement being equal to the provisional rate of the prospective new UE multiplied by a capacity requirement coefficient, wherein the capacity requirement coefficient is a function of a signal strength experienced by the prospective new UE, admit the prospective new UE as a newly tagged-and-admitted UE, incrementally decrease the free capacity of the network sector by the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the processor admits the prospective new UE by being further configured to, perform the following steps if the prospective new UE is not tagged, compare the free capacity of the network sector against the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, if the free capacity of the network sector equal or exceeds the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, admit the prospective new UE to the network sector, and incrementally decrease the free capacity of the network sector by the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE, block the prospective new UE from the network sector, if the free capacity of the network sector is less than the provisional capacity requirement for the prospective new UE.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the processor assigns the provisional rate for the prospective new UE by being further configured to, assign the prospective new UE a zero-rate, if the marginal pay-off for admitting the prospective new UE does not exceed the control parameter value for a lowest rate that is available for the prospective new UE, block the prospective new UE from the network sector, if the prospective new UE is assigned a zero-rate.

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to, if a UE departs the network sector, perform the steps of, incrementally increase the free capacity of the network sector by a provisional capacity requirement for the departing UE, the provisional capacity requirement being equal to the provisional rate of the departing UE multiplied by a capacity requirement coefficient, wherein the capacity requirement coefficient is a function of a signal strength experienced by the departing, if the departing UE is a tagged UE, incrementally decrease the total load for tagged UEs by the provisional capacity requirement for the departing UE.